david elginbrod-第74部分

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cheeks；　and　a　thin　little　person。

〃'Ow　de　do；　Mr。　Sutherland？〃　said　he；　holding　out　his　hand；　as　soon
as　they　had　reached　this　retreat。

〃Thank　youquite　well；〃　answered　Sutherland；　shaking　hands　with　him
as　well　as　he　could；　the　contact　not　being　altogether　pleasant。

〃So　you　want　pupils；　do　you；　sir？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Ah！　well　you　see；　sir；　pupils　is　scarce　at　this　season。　　They　ain't
to　be　bought　in　every　shopha！　ha！〃　（The　laugh　was　very　mild。）　〃But
I　think　Mrs。　Appleditch　could　find　you　one；　if　you　could　agree　with
her　about　the　charge；　you　know；　and　all　that。〃

〃How　old　is　he？　　A　boy；　I　suppose？〃

〃Well；　you're　right；　sir。　　It　is　a　boy。　　Not　very　old；　though。　　My
Samuel　is　just　ten；　but　a　wonderful　forward　boy　for　his　yearsbless
him！〃

〃And　what　would　you　wish　him　to　learn？〃

〃Oh！　　Latin　and　Greek；　and　all　that。　　We　intend　bringing　him　up　for
the　ministry。I　hope　your　opinions　are　decided；　sir？〃

〃On　some　points；　they　are。　　But　I　do　not　know　to　what　you　refer；
exactly。〃

〃I　mean　theological　opinions；　sir。〃

〃But　I　shall　not　have　to　teach　your　little　boy　theology。〃

〃Certainly　not；　sir。　　That　department　belongs　to　his　mother　and　I。
Unworthy　vessels；　sir；　mere　earthen　vessels；　but　filled　with　the
grace　of　God；　I　hope；　sir。〃

The　grocer　parted　his　hands；　which　he　had　been　rubbing　together
during　this　conversation；　and　lifted　them　upwards　from　the　wrists；
like　the　fins　of　a　seal；　then；　dropping　them；　fell　to　rubbing　them
again。

〃I　hope　so。　　Wellyou　know　the　best　way　will　be　for　menot　knowing
your　opinionsto　avoid　everything　of　a　religious　kind。〃

〃Ah！　but　it　should　be　line　upon　line；　you　know；　here　a　little；　and
there　a　little；　sir。　　As　the　bow　is　bent；　you　knowthehoop　is
made；　you　know；　sir。〃

Here　Mr。　Appleditch　stepped　to　the　door　suddenly；　and　peeped　out；　as
if　he　feared　he　was　wanted；　but　presently　returning；　he　continued：

〃But　time's　a　precious　gift；　sir；　and　we　must　not　waste　it。　　So；　if
you'll　do　us　the　honour；　sir；　to　dine　with　us　next　Lord's　daywe
may　call　it　a　work　of　necessity；　you　knowyou　will　see　the　little
Samuel；　andandMrs。　Appleditch。〃

〃I　shall　be　very　happy。　　What　is　your　address；　Mr。　Appleditch？〃

〃You　had　better　come　to　Salem　Chapel；　Dervish　town；　and　we　can　go
home　together。　　Service　commences　at　eleven。　　Mrs。　Appleditch　will
be　glad　to　see　you。　　Ask　for　Mr。　Appleditch's　pew。　　Goo…ood　morning；
sir。〃

Hugh　took　his　leave；　half　inclined　to　send　an　excuse　before　the　day
arrived；　and　decline　the　connection。　　But　his　principle　was；　to　take
whatever　offered；　and　thus　make　way　for　the　next　thing。　　Besides；　he
thus　avoided　the　responsibility　of　choice；　from　which　he　always
shrunk。

He　returned　to　his　novel；　but；　alas！　the　inventive　faculty
point…blank　refused　to　work　under　the　weight　of　such　a　Sunday　in
prospect。　　He　wandered　out；　quite　dispirited；　but；　before　long；　to
take　his　revenge　upon　circumstances；　resolved　at　least　to　have　a
dinner　out　of　them。　　So　he　went　to　a　chop　house；　had　a　chop　and　a
glass　of　ale；　and　was　astonished　to　find　how　much　he　enjoyed　them。
In　fact；　abstinence　gave　his　very　plain　dinner　more　than　all　the
charms　of　a　feasta　fact　of　which　Hugh　has　not　been　the　only
discoverer。　　He　studied　Punch　all　the　time　he　ate；　and　rose　with　his
spirits　perfectly　restored。

〃Now　I　am　in　for　it；〃　said　he；　〃I　will　be　extravagant　for　once。〃　　So
he　went　and　bought　a　cigar；　which　he　spun　out　into　three　miles　of
smoke；　as　he　wandered　through　Shoreditch；　and　Houndsditch；　and
Petticoat…lane；　gazing　at　the　faces　of　his　brothers　and　sisters；
which　faces　having　been　so　many　years　wrapt　in　a　fog　both　moral　and
physical；　now　looked　out　of　it　as　if　they　were　only　the　condensed
nuclei　of　the　same　fog　and　filth。

As　he　was　returning　through　Whitechapel；　he　passed　a　man　on　the
pavement；　whose　appearance　was　so　remarkable　that　he　could　not　help
looking　back　after　him。　　When　he　reflected　about　it；　he　thought　that
it　must　have　been　a　certain　indescribable　resemblance　to　David
Elginbrod　that　had　so　attracted　him。　　The　man　was　very　tall。
Six…foot。　　Hugh　felt　dwarfed　beside　him；　for　he　had　to　look　right
up；　as　he　passed；　to　see　his　face。　　He　was　dressed　in　loose；　shabby
black。　　He　had　high　and　otherwise　very　marked　features；　and　a　dark
complexion。　　A　general　carelessness　of　demeanour　was　strangely
combined　with　an　expression　of　reposeful　strength　and　quiet
concentration　of　will。　　At　how　much　of　this　conclusion　Hugh　arrived
after　knowing　more　of　him；　I　cannot　tell；　but　such　was　the
description　he　gave　of　him　as　he　saw　him　first：　and　it　was
thoroughly　correct。　　His　countenance　always　seemed　to　me　（for　I　knew
him　well）　to　represent　a　nature　ever　bent　in　one　direction；　but
never　in　haste；　because　never　in　doubt。

To　carry　his　extravagance　and　dissipation　still　further；　Hugh　now
betook　himself　to　the　pit　of　the　Olympic　Theatre；　and　no　one　could
have　laughed　more　heartily；　or　cried　more　helplessly；　that　night；
than　he；　for　he　gave　himself　wholly　up　to　the　influences　of　the
ruler　of　the　hour；　the　admirable　Robson。　　But　what　was　his　surprise
when；　standing　up　at　the　close　of　the　first　act；　and　looking　around
and　above　him；　he　saw；　unmistakeably；　the　same　remarkable
countenance　looking　down　upon　him　from　the　front　row　of　the　gallery。
He　continued　his　circuit　of　observation；　trying　to　discover　the
face　of　Funkelstein　in　the　boxes　or　circles；　but　involuntarily　he
turned　his　gaze　back　to　the　strange　countenance；　which　still　seemed
bent　towards　his。　　The　curtain　rose；　and　during　the　second　act　he
forgot　all　about　everything　else。　　At　its　close　he　glanced　up　to　the
gallery　again；　and　there　was　the　face　still；　and　still　looking　at
him。　　At　the　close　of　the　third　act　it　had　vanished；　and　he　saw
nothing　more　of　it　that　evening。　　When　the　after…piece　was　over；　for
he　sat　it　out；　he　walked　quietly　home；　much　refreshed。　　He　had
needed　some　relaxation；　after　many　days　of　close　and　continuous
labour。

But　awfully　solemn　was　the　face　of　good　Miss　Talbot；　as　she　opened
the　door　for　him　at　midnight。　　Hugh　took　especial　pains　with　his
boots　and　the　door…mat；　but　it　was　of　no　use：　the　austerity　of　her
countenance　would　not　relax　in　the　least。　　So　he　took　his　candle　and
walked　up…stairs　to　his　room；　saying　only　as　he　wentbeing　unable
to　think　of　anything　else：

〃Good　night；　Miss　Talbot。〃

But　no　response　proceeded　from　the　offended　divinity　of　the　place。

He　went　to　bed；　somewhat　distressed　at　the　behaviour　of　Miss　Talbot；
for　he　had　a　weakness　for　being　on　good　terms　with　everybody。　　But
he　resolved　to　have　it　out　with　her　next　morning；　and　so　fell　asleep
and　dreamed　of　the　strange　man　who　had　watched　him　at　the　theatre。

He　rose　next　morning　at　the　usual　time。　　But　his　breakfast　was
delayed　half　an　hour；　and　when　it　came；　the　maid　waited　upon　him；
and　not　her　mistress；　as　usual。　　When　he　had　finished；　and　she
returned　to　take　away　the　ruins；　he　asked　her　to　say　to　her　mistress
that　he　wanted　to　speak　to　her。　　She　brought　back　a　message；　which
she　delivered　with　some　difficulty；　and　evidently　under
compulsionthat　if　Mr。　Sutherland　wanted　to　speak　to　her；　he　would
find　her　in　the　back　parlour。　　Hugh　went　down　instantly；　and　found
Miss　Talbot　in　a　doubly　frozen　condition；　her　face　absolutely　blue
with　physical　and　mental　cold　combined。　　She　waited　for　him　to
speak。　　Hugh　began：

〃Miss　Talbot；　it　seems　something　is　wrong　between　you　and　me。〃

〃Yes；　Mr。　Sutherland。〃

〃Is　it　because　I　was　rather　late　last　night。〃

〃Rather　late；　Mr。　Sutherland？〃

Miss　Talbot　showed　no　excitement。　　With　her；　the　thermometer；　in
place　of　rising　under　the　influence　of　irritation；　steadily　sank。

〃I　cannot　make　myself　a　prisoner　on　parole；　you　know；　Miss　Talbot。
You　must　leave　me　my　liberty。〃

〃Oh；　yes；　Mr。　Sutherland。　　Take　your　liberty。　　You'll　go　the　way　of
all　the　rest。　　It's　no　use　trying　to　save　any　of　you。〃

〃But　I'm　not　aware　that　I　am　in　any　particular　want　of　saving；　Miss
Talbot。〃

〃There　it　is！Well；　till　a　sinner　is　called　and　awakened；　of　course
it's　no　use。　　So　I'll　just　do　the　best　I　can　for　you。　　Who　can　tell
when　the　Spirit　may　be　poured　from　on　high？　　But　it's　very　sad　to
me；　Mr。　Sutherland；　to　see　an　amiable　young　man　like　you　going　the
way　of　transgressors；　which　is　hard。　　I　am　sorry　for　you；　Mr。
Sutherland。〃

Though　the　ice　was　not　gone　yet；　it　had　begun　to　melt　under　the
influences　of　Hugh's　good…temper；　and　Miss　Talbot's　sympathy　with
his　threatening　fate。　　Conscience；　too；　had　something　to　do　with　the
change；　for；　much　as　one　of　her　temperament　must　have　disliked
making　such　a　confession；　she　ended　by　adding；　after　a　pause：

〃And　very　sorry；　Mr。　Sutherland；　that　I　showed　you　any　bad　temper
last　night。〃

Poor　Miss　Talbot！　　Hugh　saw　that　she　was　genuinely　troubled　about
him；　and　resolved　to　offend　but　seldom；　while　he　was　under　her　roof。

〃Perhaps；　when　you　know　me　longer；　you　will　find　I　am　steadier　than
you　think。〃

〃Well；　it　may　be。　　But　steadiness　won't　make　a　Christian　of　you。〃

〃It　may　make　a　tolerable　lodger　of　me；　though；〃　answered　Hugh；　〃and
you　wouldn't　turn　me　into　the　street　because　I　am　steady　and　nothing
more；　would　you？〃

〃I　said　I　was　sorry；　Mr。　Sutherland。　　Do